Deciding to live in a condo shapes you into a different person. Suddenly you feel more independent, more in-charge, more responsible, and well, thriftier. The things you use to take for granted like leaving the TV on standby, the aircon timer, and the leaky faucet now all seem to matter. Bills really change the way we live.
Rent or amortization, homeowner’s dues, groceries, and water and electric bills are just some of the regular expenses of a condo dweller. You have no control over expenses like rent and dues, but there are ways to keep your electric and water bills down. Most of the time, dwellers focus on the electric bill but conserving water should also get the same attention. Times are tough and saving is the name of the game.
To inspire you more to conserve water in your condo, here are some facts that might help: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than one trillion gallons of water are wasted every year on household leaks alone. That amount of water is equal to the water consumption of 11 million homes. Whenever you waste water, think of the one-third of the world’s population that live in countries experiencing water shortages. It may seem little but homeowners’ efforts to conserve water today will mean everything in the future. Think about this: conserving water is not only an effective way to reduce monthly condo bills, it also helps save the environment and the world’s depleting resources.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to conserve water. All it takes is common sense and some creativity. Here’s how to conserve water in your condo:Do something about those leaks
Do something about those leaks
Once and for all, repair the leaks. You may have gotten use to drips of water leaking out of your faucet after you wash your face but don’t you think it is time to do something about it? Small drips can waste up to 20 gallons per day but according to the EPA, major leaks can waste almost a hundred gallons everyday. It estimates that homeowners can cut down 10% off their water bill by fixing the leaky problem.
Most leaky faucets or shower heads require fixture replacements that do not cost much. It is also easy to detect leaks aside from the drips. One way to do it is to check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read the same, there’s probably leak.Do the toilet check
Do the toilet check
Yes, toilets have leaks too. One way to know if a toilet is leaking is to drop food coloring in the tank. If the color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, your toilet is leaking. A common cause for toilet leaks is the mineral build-up in the rubber parts or a faulty toilet flapper. Ideally, you have to replace your toilet flappers every year.
We are also guilty of bad habits such as flushing toilet paper or cigarette butts. They make flushing harder and therefore require more water. The Earth Easy website estimates that five to seven gallons of water is wasted every time you flush trash in the toilet.
Floaters in the tank
Putting an inexpensive tank bank or float booster in your toilet tank is estimated to save ten or more gallons of water every day. If you are feeling creative, you may improvise by putting two sealed plastic bottles filled with water and an inch of pebbles in the tank. Put them safely away from operating mechanisms and make sure at least three gallons of water remain in the tank so it will still flush properly.
Ever heard of aerators?
Install aerators in your faucets. This is a very affordable investment that is guaranteed to cut down water bill in your condo. Aeration increases the oxygen saturation and reduces water flow. You will hardly notice a difference except for lower water bills. The UK-based website Save Water, Save Money estimates that aerators can save up to 1,274 liters of water a month.
A shower of savings
The EPA estimates that an average household uses 260 gallons of water every day and showering accounts 30% of the total water usage. The solution: shower better.
One way to save on your water bill is being more efficient in the bathroom. Shower fast and shower well. Don’t keep the water running while soaping or applying shampoo. Turn the shower off when you do these and turn it on again only when you need to rinse off. Using low-flow showerheads also reduce water consumption by as much as 40%. A shorter time in the shower also means savings in electricity because the shorter the bath, the shorter time the lights and water heater is on.
Brush off water waste
In the same principle as using the shower, turn off the water when brushing. Instead of keeping the water running, fill a glass of water to wet your toothbrush and for mouth rinsing. An article in frugallife.com estimates that running the tap for two minutes while brushing uses roughly two to four gallons of water.
Basins for dishes
As a cup is for brushing, then basins are for washing dishes. If you are washing dishes by hand, do not leave the water running. Fill one basin with soapy water and another basin with rinse water. No need to pre-rinse, just scrape it off. When using dishwashers, run it only when it is full.
There are tons of ways to save on your water bill while doing your part in saving the environment at the same time. Make the most out of condo living by making the necessary steps to reduce your monthly bills. The money you can save by taking these easy and simple steps can be used for other condo essentials. The good thing is water conservation does not need more than a few hundred pesos, just some creativity, and a whole lot of common sense.
